NI Assembly legislation to be laid down

The Government has published legislation in the House of Commons today calling for the Northern Ireland Assembly to sit again on May 15.

The emergency legislation calls for the Assembly, which has not convened since October 2002, to be reconstituted with a view to forming a power-sharing executive by November 24.

Under the legislation the Secretary of State will be been given powers to indefinitely postpone the Assembly elections due in May 2007.

The legislation follows on from the British and Irish governments determination to recall the Assembly announced at a meeting between Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern earlier this month.

Local politicians will have six weeks in which to select an executive, and, if necessary, a further 12 weeks in which to form a cross-party devolved government before salaries will cease.

However, if this bid to restart devolved government fails, winding up the Assembly could cost millions of pounds as the 108 members of the Assembly will receive around £16,000 pounds in expenses. The usual payout made to cover election costs when a candidate fails to be re-elected or steps down.

The Assembly members have received salaries since the then NI Secretary of State suspended the Assembly in 2002 to prevent its complete collapse on allegations of information gathering by republican elements within Stormont.

(SP)